ASU QB to be Szakacsy or Sullivan

Either sophomore Samson Szakacsy or senior Danny Sullivan will be Arizona State's starting quarterback at UCLA on Saturday.

Coach Dennis Erickson narrowed his choices to two Wednesday, opting not to start true freshman Brock Osweiler for a second consecutive game.

Sullivan started the first nine games then sat out last week against Oregon with a right biceps injury.

"I don't think he's totally healthy," Erickson said. "That's part of the decision. He's throwing it OK, but not like he can. It's still bothering him."

If Szakacsy, who played in the second quarter and the entire second half last week, gets his first start then Erickson would prefer that Sullivan back him up because of his experience.

Osweiler left the Oregon game because of a left-shoulder injury but is healthy enough to play, Erickson said.

All signs point to Szakacsy getting the start particularly because his right elbow tendinitis is not flaring up even with his extra throwing.

"He's practiced very well," Erickson said. "He's smart and he understands what's going on. He gets the ball out quick. It (his elbow) is closer to where it was in the spring than it has been because really early in the season he couldn't have played. He couldn't throw it from here to the fence."

ASU most-recently used three starting quarterbacks in a single season in 2000: Jeff Krohn (nine starts), Griffin Goodman (two) and Ryan Kealy (one). The Sun Devils were 6-6 in 2000 in Bruce Snyder's final season as coach.

The trio of Kealy (nine), Steve Campbell (one) and Chad Elliot (one) started in 1998 when ASU was 5-6.

Carr practicing

Cornerback Terell Carr is back practicing, a decision made by Vice President for Athletics Lisa Love. A decision on whether Carr will play against UCLA has not been made.

Carr did not play against Oregon because of a suspension stemming from the senior being booked into Maricopa County Jail on suspicion of assault, disorderly conduct and driving with a suspended license.

Information was not immediately available on what, if any, formal charges were filed against Carr.

Graduation rates

ASU's NCAA Graduation Success Rate in football for classes entering from 1999-2002 is 58 percent, a slight decrease from last year's report (60) for 1998-2001 classes.

The overall GSR for Football Bowl Subdivision schools is 67 percent.

"Our slight dip is not a trend in football," said Jean Boyd, ASU associate athletic director. He believes that football will bounce back above 60 percent.

ASU's overall GSR for all sports is 72 percent compared with the national 79 percent. Boyd's goal is 80 percent, which he thinks is achievable within the next five years given ASU's more recent Academic Progress Rate success.